When it comes to preparing herbal remedies, there are some treatments that involve the use of alcohol in order to create the kind of mixture that will effectively work to ease symptoms of a variety of health ailments and medical conditions. In this article, we will take a look at some of the equipment, standard dosage, and parts of the plant that are used to make an herbal tincture.
Tinctures are created when herbs are steeped in a mixture of alcohol and water. When preparing an herbal tincture, you should make variations in a separate motion and if later needed, certain tinctures can be combined. There are a handful of reasons that alcohol plays an important role in the development of a tincture. For starters, the liquid is used to extract the active ingredients found in a particular plant. The alcohol then later acts as a preservative. While other types of herbal remedies spoil within a day or week, tinctures may keep for up to two years.
Over time, the intensity of the herbal mixture will change. For instance, you may only make a tincture that possesses 25% alcohol and 75% water, but some herbs have the capacity to increase the alcohol level to 45%. While commercially prepared tincture utilize ethanol in their recipes, diluted spirits are fine for those looking to produce this type of remedy at home. When choosing the perfect kind of liquor for your herbal treatment, you might want to select vodka, which is a nice choice because it doesn’t contain any additives. Other prefer rum because it helps to hide some of the less flavorful herbs one may use for a tincture.
Equipment
The equipment needed to prepare a tincture at home includes a large jar with a screw-top; a jelly bag or muslin bag; a winepress; large jug; dark glass bottles that have been sterilized. The glass bottles should have screw caps so that tinctures are stored in an airtight manner. A funnel is also suggested to assist in the process of making a tincture.
Standard Quantity and Dosage Details
When making a tincture, all of the parts of a plant, regardless if they are dry or fresh, may be used. When preparing a standard amount, 200 grams of dried herb or 600 grams of fresh herb should be added for every 1-liter of mixture consisting of alcohol and water. An example of a mixture will involve 25% alcohol and 75% water. An easy way to approach the preparation of a tincture is to take 1 liter of 75 proof vodka and dilute it with 500 milliliters of water.
The standard dose for a tincture is to take 5 milliliters three times per day after a little dilution of warm water has taken place. Some people will enhance the taste of a tincture by adding a small amount of fruit juice or honey. The leftover amount of tincture should be placed in dark glass bottles that can be stored for up to two years.